Riding the Storm Out
by Leo the Tiger
Summary: The Biker Mice help comfort a few folks hurt by tornado damage. (Originally written just a few days after the Joplin EF5 tornado that struck us 5/22/2011.)


Riding The Storm Out

Storm damage was the type of damage nobody appreciated. Houses were devastated, businesses went out for a time if not forever, and many people were left homeless and jobless. Perhaps the most frustrating part was that it was too expensive to rebuild and replace all the rubbish in the devastated areas.

For Limburger, it was good news. It potentially gave him the ability to buy the city for a mere pittance, since he been on destruction that could be shipped to Plutark for use of natural resources. While the High Chairman was indeed dead, Limburger still felt it was his duty to destroy the earth. Of course, he had multiple oppositions from not just the Biker Mice, but from Leo the Patriotic Lion as well, and it wasn't going to be easy.

Limburger didn't bother to strike on this day, since a small part of the farming community in Wildcat City, in the sub-city known as Cat's Granby, had suffered tornado damage. (Battlefield Range was the metropolitan area where Leo made his residence, and where Charley was running her current Last Chance Garage.) Farms were lost, people were left crying, and property was irreplaceable. While the majority of the community was habitable, the ones left inhabitable were the ones getting the most attention. It led the Biker Mice and Leo to investigate what happened, since today was a sunny day and a perfect day to do so.

Modo even shed a few tears when he saw what happened. "Oh, momma!" he exclaimed. "I haven't felt this sad for the people since the day we saved those kids from their orphanage that the storm took out."

"Don't worry about it, Modo," Throttle replied. "I'm sure they'll be okay. They're just grateful they are alive."

"I'd be, too, if it were me," Vinnie added. "Sure I have the most machismo ratings of us, but my heart does go out to those people who suffered.

Stoker, in his super form, was using his super breath and several other of his powers to help clear out some of the rubbish. He took time to console with some of the hurt people. "Storms are a thing I can do nothing about," he said. "I share your pain. But believe me, this would've been sort of a welcome sight on Mars, since rain is almost rare there." He dragged one citizen out of the rubbish that was once her house. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"A little shook up, but I'm lucky to be alive!" she replied, hugging Stoker. It was a bit uncomfortable for him, but he took the hug professionally. "Thank you so much!"

"For what?" Stoker replied, confused, as he and the woman separated.

"For seeing to it we can get our lives back on track, that's what."

"Well, in that case, anytime. Just make it a preference to hug your own relatives instead from now on."

"Sorry, I lost my head."

"That's forgivable. Is the rest of your family okay?"

"Yes, they live in Battlefield Range. They didn't take any damage at all. I'm just going to have to move in with them until my house is repaired. Not to mention the insurance claims."

Stoker called for his bike to arrive, and it did. "Put this helmet on, and show me where your house is. I'll take you there."

"Okay. Thank you again."

"Anytime, ma'am. As a superhero, my duty is to see you are okay." Stoker drove the lady to her relatives' home she was to stay in while tuning the radio to let her keep up with the news coverage, who was giving people advice on where to go and who to call for shelter or places to charge their laptops and cell phones."

Leo, in the meantime, went with the Biker Mice and surveyed some of the damage over by a house that belonged to MSG Lionel Davies, formerly a musician serving under his command in his bandleader days. "I can't believe your house is still standing, but your barn is totaled!" he exclaimed.

"Your crops going to make it?" Throttle asked.

"Probably not," said Lionel, "but one thing the rain does do is get rid of pests. Those blasted red ants were ruining all my crops anyway."

"Well, they won't be back now," Leo replied. "How are you going to deal with it? Are there any insurance claims offered yet?"

"No, but I'm on the waiting list."

"Okay."

"These are the Biker Mice, aren't they?"

"Yes. Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie. His name is Lionel Davies and he used to be one of my soldiers in the band I led for those nine glorious years."

"I thought you recognized him," said Modo. He turned to Lionel. "You're okay, but what about your family? I just heard Stoker's taking another lady to one of her relatives' homes until her situation is clear. We passed by that one on the way in."

"My house is in tact, but it's my barn that's going to need a repair job. I've already cleared it off all the horses and animals in there, most of which died in the storm and have been sent off to be buried. We bury farm animals in this town. I know. Weird."

"When do you think you're going to get it back up?"

"In a couple months, tops."

"Oh, good. Well, we're fools for the city, but you certainly have our sympathy." Modo got back on his bike and headed back to the city with his bros. Leo rode with Vinnie.

"You can be glad it was only this tiny little part. Everything else in the city is in tact," Leo reported as they rode over to Maximum Mighty Melt to eat lunch.

"I'm just glad there were no deaths," Modo replied. "As my dear old gray-furred momma always said, 'Let the damage be done, but do what you have to do to stay alive when in trouble.'"

"Some good advice to live by, there," Leo nodded.

"She also said, 'When the fish smell bad, stay out of the water.' All of a sudden, I got a feeling Limburger's going to try something."

"Like what?" asked Vinnie.

"Like using this as an excuse to start a demolition plan that will send this town to Plutark."

"He won't be doing that," Leo replied staunchly. "Not on my watch! Besides, the total amount damaged is too small."

"Don't worry about it, Modo," Throttle assured his bro. "If he strikes, we'll be all over him like chili on a hot dog."

Modo nodded as the group drove to the restaurant.

THE END

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_Biker Mice From Mars © Rick Ungar, Tom Tataranowicz, Tom Tataranowicz Animation, Brentwood Television Funnies, and all others who own the rights_

_Leo the Patriotic Lion and the Lion of Liberty (MSG Lionel Davies) © me_

* * *

_Originally written just a few days after the Joplin EF5 tornado that struck us 5/22/2011._


End file.
